“I’ve just connected to the NBN, and have been told my alarm system might not work if there’s a power fail. Is this true?”
Yes.
If your alarm system is connected to your NBN modem you won’t receive alarm notifications during a power fail.
Why?
Because the NBN modem uses a power point in your home to operate. No power means no modem. No modem means no internet and no phone line. That means no alarm notifications.
Your alarm will still function perfectly well because it has it’s own back up battery.
So you can still turn your alarm on. The sensors will still detect an intruder. The sirens and strobe light will still operate.
But you won’t receive any alarms on your phone.
Types Of Alarm System Monitoring Affected By NBN Power Fail
- Mobile phone alerts
- Text message alerts
- If your alarm uses an app to send you alarm messages
- Back-to-Base monitoring
Once you’re connected to the NBN, none of the above alerting methods will work if the mains power is off at your home.
NBN Alarm Solutions – 2 options
Option 1
Purchase an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). This is like a battery back-up for a power point. Any equipment plugged into the UPS will continue to operate during a mains power outage. The length of time the modem or other equipment will operate varies. It depends on how much power your device uses and the size or capacity of the UPS you purchase.
Here’s a short useful article explaining more about choosing an Uninterruptible Power Supplies 
I have used this one from Jaycar Electronics, however there are many places that sell them. Check Amazon and eBay.
This is a relatively low cost option that will work well if your alarm dials your mobile phone if the alarm is triggered.
Option 2
Add a wireless communicator with SIM card. This option is used if you you have professional back-to-base monitoring. (Wormalds, ADT etc)
It sends the alarm information to the monitoring station using the 3G/4G data network. It uses your alarm system’s back-up battery during a mains fail. It is completely independent of the NBN.
There is a downside however. The weekly monitoring charge is about double the cost of the old dial-up system.
If you would like to discuss your options in more detail, please call one of our alarm experts for a solution to suit your situation.
9005-0174
Read more about NBN and Alarm Systems HERE
